Cooking With Cooper

Thursday, January 1, 2015

I spent most of this New Year's Day wrapping Christmas ornaments and other assorted decorations putting them in their appropriate containers and storing them away until next time, so I left New Year's dinner totally up to the Mister. He didn't disappoint.We had the obligatory collard greens. Ours was sautéed with a little bacon drippings and white wine. Corn bread, of course.This year he used THIS Hoppin' John recipe from Garden and Gun magazine.But the best thing ever was the pork tenderloin as seen above. Very tender...and oh, so good your mama better watch out for that slap!You might even want to slap her twice!Take one pork tenderloin about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds and place in large zip-lock bag.Mix together:1/3 cup olive oil1/3 cup soy sauce1/3 cup Dijon stone ground mustard1 heaping teaspoon minced garlicsaltpepperPour the mixture over the pork tenderloin. Zip the bag and store in the refrigerator. Marinate at least four hours, turning the bag every 30 minutes or so. After four hours remove the pork and discard marinade. Grill the pork on low until it reaches 145 degrees internally. Slice and listen for the compliments!Serves 8HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Okay, so it's been a year since I added a new recipe. I've been a bit busy elsewhere including publishing a book during that time. I ran across this recipe, however, and had to try it as we eat a lot of zucchini. We are already thinking of great ways to use it and pair it....with risotto, shredding the zucchini into long strands like spaghetti and add some pasta with it, too. You might have some ideas. Tonight's pairing was with grilled chicken breast. I doubt the leftovers will be around for long. It is THAT good!4 T. butter4 large zucchini, sliced4 medium shallots, minced1 cup heavy cream2/3 cup cheddar cheese, shredded1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated1/4 t. oreganosalt peppergreen onions for garnishHeat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter. Add shallots and garlic. Cook till translucent, a minute or two. Add zucchini, cream, salt, pepper, oregano and parmesan cheese. Let mixture cook 8-10 minutes. Do not leave it alone. Stir it the entire time till mixture thickens and bubbly. Keep mixing while cooking. Add cheddar cheese, and mix till blended. Transfer mixture to greased 9x13 dish. Lightly sprinkle with more cheddar cheese. Bake 10-14 minutes till cheese is bubbly. Top with green onions. Serves 4

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Folks here in Georgia are cold…..colder than normal, and
over the next couple of days the forecast states we are going to have a short
period sleet/freezing rain that will be followed by a dramatic drop in
temperatures and high winds. Temperatures are going down, down, down below
freezing and are expected to stay there for two to three days.

So…

It’s PERFECT soup weather.

The Mister tried this recipe yesterday. We had it for dinner
last night night and again for lunch today.

It’s a keeper!

Ingredients

2 (14.5-ounce) cans white beans

1 tablespoon canola oil

1 medium jalapeno pepper, minced

2 medium poblano peppers, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 limes, juiced, plus lime wedges, for serving

1 rotisserie chicken, skin removed and meat shredded

1/4 cup chopped cilantro leaves

Sour cream, for topping

Tortilla chips, coarsely crushed, for topping

Directions

Drain and rinse the canned white beans. In a medium bowl,
mash half of the beans with a potato masher until chunky. Reserve the beans
until needed.

Add the canola oil to a large Dutch oven and heat it over
medium-high heat. Add the peppers, onions, and garlic and saute until soft and
fragrant, about 5 minutes. Season the vegetables with salt, and pepper, to
taste. Add the cumin, coriander, and chili powder and continue to saute for 1
more minute to toast the spices. Stir in the chicken stock, and lime juice and
bring to a simmer. Add the beans and continue to simmer for 20 more minutes.

After 20 minutes of simmering, taste for seasoning, and
adjust if necessary. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and cilantro and
simmer until heated through, about 5 more minutes. Serve the chili in
individual bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream, crushed tortilla chips,
and lime wedges.

Monday, December 30, 2013

So when you have prime rib for Christmas Day dinner what do you do with the bones? Well, you make Prime Rib Soup, of course.Ingredients:

4 beef ribs, trimmed from a cooked prime rib roast

2 cups beef stock

1 potato, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch pieces

1 (8 ounce) package sliced fresh mushrooms

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Place the ribs in a large pot and cover with water. Bring
to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the meat is
falling from the bones, about 2 hours. Remove the ribs and allow to cool. Trim
the meat from the ribs and cut into bite sized pieces; refrigerate. Continue
simmering the broth until reduced to 1 cup; refrigerate until the fat congeals
to the top.

Skim and discard the congealed fat. Pour the broth into a
saucepan along with the meat trimmings, beef stock, potato, mushrooms, salt,
and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until
the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with chives to serve.

Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Never underestimate the abilities of a man once you send him off to the kitchen with a Martha Stewart magazine. Over the weekend the Mister was hungry. It didn't look like I was going to let go of my work anytime soon, so as he usually does on the weekends the Mister cooked...and it was great. Grilled Shrimp and Bacon with Lemons

16 large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds), shells split, but not removed, deveined2 lemons1 T. Old Bay seasoning1 T. extra virgin olive oil4 slices thick-cut bacon (about 6 oz.)Toss shrimp in a large nonreactive baking dish with zest and juice of one lemon, the Old Bay seasoning and oil. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.Heat grill to medium-high. Slice remaining lemon into 1/4-inch slices. Grill lemon slices, shrimp and bacon directly on grates until lemon slices are caramelized (2 to 3 minutes per side), shrimp are cooked through (about 3 minutes per side), and bacon is lightly charred and crisp (4 to 5 minutes per side). Transfer lemons and shrimp to a bowl, and the bacon to a plate. Let cool slightly. Tear bacon into 2-inch pieces, and add to bowl with lemons and shrimp. Toss until well combined. Serves 4Crisp Red Potatoes with Garlic-Herb Oil

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

This is a great way to use those garden items that tend to overtake your kitchen during the summer. Grill up some chicken breasts....and you've got a great meal.3 medium cucumbers, sliced1 medium onion, sliced3 medium tomatoes, quartered1/2 cup vinegar1/4 cup sugar1 cup water2 teaspoons salt1 teaspoon pepper1/4 cup vegetable or canola oilI slice up the cucumbers, onions, and tomatoes and throw into a large mixing bowl. Then I mix up the remaining ingredients and pour over the veggies. Toss well and pop it into the fridge for a couple of hours....at least.I visit the fridge three or four times during the afternoon and toss the contents around to make sure everything is soaking well. Great the next day, too!!!